Methods of reading data in a NAND flash memory device with a fringe voltage applied to a conductive layer

ABSTRACT

Methods of programming data in a non-volatile memory cell are provided. A memory cell according to some embodiments may include a gate structure that includes a tunnel oxide layer pattern, a floating gate, a dielectric layer and a control gate sequentially stacked on a substrate, impurity regions that are formed in the substrate at both sides of the gate structure, and a conductive layer pattern that is arranged spaced apart from and facing the floating gate. Embodiments of such methods may include applying a programming voltage to the control gate, grounding the impurity regions and applying a fringe voltage to the conductive layer pattern to generate a fringe field in the floating gate.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is a divisional application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/141,249, filed Jun. 18, 2008, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,936,600 which claims priority under 35 USC §119 to Korean Patent Application No. 2007-59275 filed on Jun. 18, 2007, the both of the contents of which are herein incorporated by reference in their entireties.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to semiconductors in general and, more particularly, to methods of programming and operating memory devices.

BACKGROUND

Generally, semiconductor memory devices may be classified into a volatile memory devices and non-volatile memory devices. Volatile memory devices may include, for example, dynamic random access memory (DRAM) devices and static random access memory (SRAM) device, among others and may lose data over time. Non-volatile memory devices may continuously store data for significant periods of time. Non-volatile memory devices may include an electrically erasable programmable read only memory (EEPROM), a flash memory device, among others, and may be capable of electrically inputting/outputting data. Flash memory devices may include progressive types of EEPROM that may be capable of rapidly erasing data. Flash memory devices may electrically control input/output of data using Fowler-Nordheim (F-N) tunneling or hot electrons.

Flash memory devices may be classified into NAND type flash memory devices and NOR type flash memory devices. The NOR type flash memory devices may provide for rapid operation. In contrast, the NAND type flash memory devices may be more readily integrated.

The NAND flash memory devices may use rapid programming and erasing at a relatively low voltage. To achieve the rapid programming and erasing at a relatively low voltage, it may be beneficial to provide each of unit cells in the NAND type flash memory device with a high coupling ratio.

In order to increase the coupling ratio, a high capacitance may be provided between a floating gate pattern and a control gate pattern in the cell. In contrast, a low capacitance may be provided between the floating gate pattern and a semiconductor substrate.

The high capacitance between the floating gate pattern and the control gate pattern may be provided by using a metal oxide having a high dielectric constant for a dielectric layer. When the dielectric layer includes the metal oxide having the high dielectric constant, a sufficient capacitance may be provided without increasing of an effective surface area of the floating gate pattern. In this regard, the floating gate pattern may be thin by forming the dielectric layer only on an upper surface of the floating gate pattern and not on a sidewall of the floating gate pattern.

Further, when the floating gate pattern is thin, interference between the adjacent floating gate patterns may be reduced. Therefore, distribution of threshold voltages between the cells caused by the interference may also be decreased.

However, when the dielectric layer is formed using the material having a high dielectric constant, charges in the floating gate pattern may be partially discharged due to the dielectric layer. Particularly, a plurality of trap sites may exist in the dielectric layer having the high dielectric constant. Accordingly, the charges in the floating gate pattern may escape through the trap in the dielectric layer via an electric field between the floating gate pattern and the control gate pattern and thus the charges in the floating gate pattern may be partially lost. The partial loss of the charges in the floating gate pattern may result in changes and/or loss of the data and malfunctions of the NAND type flash memory devices. As a result, the NAND type memory devices may have low reliability.

Therefore, a non-volatile memory device that is formed using the material having a high dielectric constant and that provides stable functionality and good reliability may be desired. Further, methods of operating the non-volatile memory device that may avoid the malfunctions and improve the reliability, may also be desired.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Some embodiments of the present invention include methods of programming data in a memory cell that includes a gate structure having a tunnel oxide layer pattern, a floating gate, a dielectric layer and a control gate sequentially stacked on a substrate. In some embodiments, the gate structure may include impurity regions that are formed in the substrate at both sides of the gate structure and a conductive layer pattern that is arranged spaced apart from and facing the floating gate. Some embodiments of such methods include applying a programming voltage to the control gate, grounding the impurity regions and applying a fringe voltage to the conductive layer pattern to generate a fringe field in the floating gate.

In some embodiments, applying a fringe voltage includes applying the fringe voltage to the conductive layer pattern through a gate of a dummy transistor that is adjacent the memory cell and electrically connected to the conductive layer pattern. Some embodiments provide that the fringe voltage is less than the programming voltage. In some embodiments, the fringe voltage is about 30% to about 70% of the programming voltage.

Some embodiments provide that applying the fringe voltage includes applying the fringe voltage spaced apart from sidewalls of the floating gates facing each other along a widthwise direction of the memory cell. Some embodiments may include controlling the programming voltage and the fringe voltage to provide the floating gate with a potential for programming the data via the programming voltage and the fringe voltage.

Some embodiments of the present invention include methods of programming data in a NAND flash memory. Some embodiments of such methods may include applying a programming voltage to a word line connected to a selected cell of multiple cells in the NAND flash memory device, applying a pass voltage to other word lines connected to ones of the cells that are in a cell string that includes the selected cell, grounding a bit line connected to the selected cell, and applying a fringe voltage to a portion of the selected cell that is spaced apart from sidewalls of floating gates in the selected cell to generate a fringe field in the floating gates, the fringe voltage being lower than the programming voltage.

In some embodiments, each of the cells including the selected cell in a cell block includes a gate structure and a conductive layer and the gate structure includes a tunnel oxide layer pattern, a floating gate, a dielectric layer and a control gate sequentially stacked on a substrate. Some embodiments provide that the conductive layer pattern that is arranged spaced apart from and facing the floating gate and applying the fringe voltage includes applying the fringe voltage through the conductive layer pattern.

In some embodiments, the conductive layer pattern is connected to a gate electrode of a dummy transistor and applying the fringe voltage includes applying the fringe voltage through the gate electrode of the dummy transistor. Some embodiments provide that the fringe voltage is greater than a threshold voltage of the dummy transistor.

In some embodiments, applying the fringe voltage includes applying the fringe voltage between the floating gates in a cell block that includes the selected cell while the selected cell is programmed. In some embodiments, applying the fringe voltage includes applying the fringe voltage between sidewalls of the floating gates facing each other along a widthwise direction of the memory cell. Some embodiments provide that the fringe voltage is substantially the same as the pass voltage. Some embodiments provide that the fringe voltage is about 30% to about 70% of the programming voltage. In some embodiments, the pass voltage is less than the programming voltage and each of cells is turned-on by the pass voltage.

Some embodiments include applying a power voltage to other bit lines arranged at both sides of the bit line that is connected to the selected cell. Some embodiments include controlling the programming voltage and the fringe voltage to provide the floating gate with a potential for programming the data via the programming voltage and the fringe voltage.

Some embodiments of the present invention include methods of erasing data from a NAND flash memory device. Some embodiments of such methods may include grounding word lines and bit lines of the NAND flash memory device, applying an erasing voltage to a channel region of multiple cells in the NAND flash memory device, and grounding a portion of a conductive layer spaced apart from sidewalls of floating gates in the cells. In some embodiments, the floating gates face each other along a widthwise direction of the memory device.

Some embodiments of the present invention include methods of reading data in a NAND flash memory device. Some embodiments of such methods may include grounding a word line connected to a selected cell of multiple cells in the NAND flash memory device and applying a pass voltage to other word lines that are connected to ones of the cells in a cell string that includes the selected cell. Methods may include applying a reading voltage to a bit line that is connected to the selected cell and applying a fringe voltage or a ground voltage to a conductive portion that is spaced apart from sidewalls of floating gates in the selected cell.

In some embodiments, applying the fringe voltage or the ground voltage includes applying the fringe voltage or ground voltage to conductive portions spaced apart from sidewalls of the floating gates facing each other along a widthwise direction of a channel in the cells of a cell block that includes the selected cell. In some embodiments, the fringe voltage or the ground voltage is applied across sidewalls of the floating gates facing each other along a widthwise direction of a channel in the cells of a cell block that includes the selected cell.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a plan view illustrating a unit cell of a transistor for which programming methods in accordance with some embodiments of the present invention is applicable.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view illustrating a cell array for which operating methods of NAND flash memory devices in accordance with some embodiments of the present invention is applicable.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along a line I-I′ in FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along a line II-II′ in FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along a line III-III′ in FIG. 2.

FIG. 6 is a circuit diagram illustrating the cell array of the NAND flash memory device in FIG. 2.

FIG. 7 is a graph showing pass voltage ranges used as data is programmed in a selection cell of the cell array in FIG. 6.

DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

The present invention is described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which example embodiments of the present invention are illustrated. The present invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the example embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the present invention to those skilled in the art. In the drawings, the sizes and relative sizes of layers and regions may be exaggerated for clarity.

It will be understood that when an element or layer is referred to as being “on,” “connected to” or “coupled to” another element or layer, it can be directly on, connected or coupled to the other element or layer or intervening elements or layers may be present. In contrast, when an element is referred to as being “directly on,” “directly connected to” or “directly coupled to” another element or layer, there are no intervening elements or layers present. Like reference numerals refer to like elements throughout. As used herein, the term “and/or” includes any and all in a mixture of one or more of the associated listed items.

It will be understood that, although the terms first, second, third etc. may be used herein to describe various elements, components, regions, layers and/or sections, these elements, components, regions, layers and/or sections should not be limited by these terms. These terms are only used to distinguish one element, component, region, layer or section from another region, layer or section. Thus, a first element, component, region, layer or section discussed below could be termed a second element, component, region, layer or section without departing from the teachings of the present invention.

Spatially relative terms, such as “beneath,” “below,” “lower,” “above,” “upper” and the like, may be used herein for ease of description to describe one element or feature's relationship to another element(s) or feature(s) as illustrated in the figures. It will be understood that the spatially relative terms are intended to encompass different orientations of the device in use or operation in addition to the orientation depicted in the figures. For example, if the device in the figures is turned over, elements described as “below” or “beneath” other elements or features would then be oriented “above” the other elements or features. Thus, the exemplary term “below” can encompass both an orientation of above and below. The device may be otherwise oriented (rotated 90 degrees or at other orientations) and the spatially relative descriptors used herein interpreted accordingly.

The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the present invention. As used herein, the singular forms “a,” “an” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms “comprises” and/or “comprising,” when used in this specification, specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof.

Example embodiments of the present invention are described herein with reference to cross-section illustrations that are schematic illustrations of idealized embodiments (and intermediate structures) of the present invention. As such, variations from the shapes of the illustrations as a result, for example, of manufacturing techniques and/or tolerances, are to be expected. Thus, example embodiments of the present invention should not be construed as limited to the particular shapes of regions illustrated herein but are to include deviations in shapes that result, for example, from manufacturing. For example, an implanted region illustrated as a rectangle will, typically, have rounded or curved features and/or a gradient of implant concentration at its edges rather than a binary change from implanted to non-implanted region. Likewise, a buried region formed by implantation may result in some implantation in the region between the buried region and the surface through which the implantation takes place. Thus, the regions illustrated in the figures are schematic in nature and their shapes are not intended to illustrate the actual shape of a region of a device and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention.

Unless otherwise defined, all terms (including technical and scientific terms) used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which the present invention belongs. It will be further understood that terms, such as those defined in commonly used dictionaries, should be interpreted as having a meaning that is consistent with their meaning in the context of the relevant art and will not be interpreted in an idealized or overly formal sense unless expressly so defined herein.

Hereinafter, methods of programming data in a unit cell transistor of a NAND flash memory device are provided. In this regard, structures of a unit cell transistor for which some embodiments of programming method described herein may be used are explained. Reference is now made to FIG. 1, which is a plan view illustrating the unit cell transistor for which programming methods in accordance with some embodiments of the present invention are applicable. The unit cell transistor may include a gate structure formed on a semiconductor substrate (not shown). The gate structure may include a tunnel oxide layer pattern (not shown), a floating gate 10, a dielectric layer pattern (not shown) and/or a control gate sequentially stacked on the semiconductor substrate.

Impurity regions 12 may be formed in the semiconductor substrate adjacent the sidewalls of the floating gate 10 in a first direction. Conductive layer patterns 14 may be formed on the semiconductor substrate adjacent the floating gate 10 in a second direction that may be substantially perpendicular to the first direction. The conductive layer patterns 14 may be spaced apart from the floating gate 10. Further, the conductive layer patterns 14 may face the floating gate 10.

Hereinafter, methods of programming data in the unit cell transistor of the NAND flash memory device in accordance with embodiments illustrated in FIG. 1 may be provided in detail. Some embodiments provide that a programming voltage may be applied to the control gate. In some embodiments, the impurity regions 12 may then be grounded.

A fringe voltage may be applied to the conductive layer patterns 14 to form a fringe field in the floating gate 10. In some embodiments, the fringe voltage may be lower than the programming voltage. Some embodiments provide that the fringe voltage may be about 30% to about 70% of the programming voltage. In some embodiments, the fringe voltage may be about 50% of the programming voltage.

Some embodiments provide that when the fringe voltage is applied to the conductive layer patterns 14, the fringe field may be formed between the floating gate 10 and the conductive layer patterns 14. As a result, a potential of the floating gate 10 may increase.

That is, the potential of the floating gate 10 may be increased by the fringe voltage and/or the programming voltage that is applied to the control gate. In this regard, some embodiments provide that the levels of the programming voltage and the fringe voltage may be adjusted to provide the floating gate 10 with the potential capable of performing the programming operation.

When the programming voltage and the fringe voltage are applied such that the potential of the floating gate 10 increases and the impurity regions 12 are grounded, charges may be stored in the floating gate 10 through the tunnel oxide layer by F-N tunneling.

In this regard, some embodiments provide that when the potential of the floating gate 10 is increased via the fringe voltage, the programming voltage may be slightly decreased as compared to that of a programming operation in the absence of the fringe voltage. Accordingly, the programming operation may be performed with a lower programming voltage than may be provided in a conventional programming voltage applied to the control gate. In some embodiments, when the programming voltage applied to the control gate becomes lower, the charges may not be trapped in the dielectric layer pattern, because the electric field between the control gate and the floating gate 10 may be decreased. In this regard, the cell transistor may have improved reliability.

In some embodiments, a programming voltage that is substantially the same as the conventional programming voltage may be applied to the control gate in conjunction with the application of the fringe voltage. Some embodiments provide that the potential of the floating gate 10 may increase compared to that of a conventional floating gate due to the fringe voltage, which may increase a programming speed.

As described above, the programming voltage applied to the control gate may vary by adjusting the fringe voltage. In some embodiments, the cell transistor may have improved operational characteristics and reliability by changing the programming voltage.

Hereinafter, methods of erasing data from the unit cell transistor and reading the data in the unit cell transistor are illustrated in detail with reference to FIG. 1. In some embodiments, to erase the data from the unit cell transistor, the control gate and the impurity regions 12 may be grounded. Some embodiments provide that an erasing voltage may be applied to a channel region of the unit cell transistor. In some embodiments, the conductive layer patterns 14 may be grounded to prevent the fringe voltage from being generated in the floating gate 10.

In some embodiments, the control gate is grounded to read the data in the unit cell transistor. A reading voltage may be applied to any one of the impurity regions 12. Some embodiments provide that the fringe voltage or a ground voltage may be applied to the conductive layer patterns 14. In some embodiments, when the fringe voltage is applied to the conductive layer patterns 14, a current may be increased due to a low threshold voltage of the cell transistor. In contrast, when the conductive layer patterns 14 are grounded, reading characteristics may be substantially the same as conventional reading characteristics, because the fringe voltage is not generated.

Reference is now made to FIG. 2, which is a perspective view illustrating a cell array which may use an operating method of a NAND flash memory device in accordance with some embodiments of the present invention. Reference is also made to FIG. 3, which is a cross-sectional view taken along a line I-I′ in FIG. 2, FIG. 4, which is a cross-sectional view taken along a line II-II′ in FIG. 2, and FIG. 5, which is a cross-sectional view taken along a line in FIG. 2.

In some embodiments, a semiconductor substrate 100 has isolation regions and active regions. Some embodiments provide that isolation trenches may be formed in the isolation regions of the semiconductor substrate 100. In some embodiments, isolation layer patterns 102 are formed in the isolation trenches. In some embodiments, the isolation layer patterns 102 may have a linear shape extending along a first direction. Some embodiments provide that the isolation layer patterns 102 may be arranged in parallel with each other.

In some embodiments, the active regions correspond to portions of the semiconductor substrate 100 exposed by the isolation layer patterns 102. The active regions may have a linear shape extending along the first direction. Some embodiments provide that the active regions may be arranged in parallel with one another.

In some embodiments, a cell gate structure 114 is formed on the semiconductor substrate 100 of each of the active regions. Some embodiments provide that the cell gate structure 114 includes a tunnel oxide layer pattern 106, a floating gate 108, a dielectric layer pattern 110 and/or a control gate 112 that may be sequentially stacked on the semiconductor substrate 100. In some embodiments, the tunnel oxide layer pattern 106 is formed on the semiconductor substrate 100 of the active region. Some embodiments provide that the floating gates 108 may include an isolated island shape and may be formed on the tunnel oxide layer pattern 106 to define isolated unit active regions. The floating gates 108 may be formed in the unit active region defined by the isolation layer patterns 102. Some embodiments provide that the floating gates 108 may correspond to elements of each of the unit cells connected to each other in series. In some embodiments, the dielectric layer pattern 110 is formed on the floating gate 108. The dielectric layer pattern 110 may include a linear shape extending along a second direction that may be substantially perpendicular to the first direction. Some embodiments provide that the dielectric layer pattern 110 may include metal oxide that may have a high dielectric constant. In some embodiments, the control gate 112 is formed on the dielectric layer pattern 110. The control gate 112 may have a linear shape extending along the second direction. Some embodiments provide that the linear control gate 112 may be used as a word line.

In some embodiments, impurity regions 128 may be formed in the semiconductor substrate 100 of the active region at both sides of the floating gate 108.

Some embodiments provide that conductive layer patterns 116 are formed between the floating gates 108. In some embodiments, the conductive layer patterns 116 may be spaced apart from the floating gates 108. Some embodiments provide that the conductive layer patterns 116 may have a linear shape extending along the first direction. In some embodiments, the conductive layer patterns 116 may be positioned on the isolation layer patterns 102 between the floating gates 108. Some embodiments provide that the conductive layer patterns 116 may have upper surfaces that make contact with a lower surface of the dielectric layer pattern 110. In this regard, the conductive layer patterns 116 may not be electrically connected to the control gate 112.

In some embodiments, the cell gate structures 114 may be connected to each other in series to form a single string. Some embodiments provide that a dummy gate structure 124 is formed at one end of the cell gate structures 114 that are connected to each other in series. The dummy gate structure 124 may include a gate oxide layer 118, a first gate electrode 120 and/or an upper conductive line 114, that may be sequentially stacked. In contrast with the cell gate structures 114, the dielectric layer pattern 110 may not be interposed between the first gate electrode 120 and the upper conductive line 122. In some embodiments, the upper conductive line 122 is electrically connected between the first gate electrodes 120 arranged in parallel with each other along the second direction. Some embodiments provide that the upper conductive line 122 may have a linear shape extending along the second direction and making contact with an upper surface of the first gate electrode 120.

In some embodiments, impurity regions (not shown) are formed at both sides of the dummy gate structures 124 to form a dummy transistor. Some embodiments may include one or more than one dummy gate structures 124. Some embodiments provide that the dummy transistor may be serially connected to the cell string.

In some embodiments, a ground selection line (GSL) 130 is connected to one end of the dummy gate structure 124 at one end of the cell string. Some embodiments provide that a string selection line (SSL) 120 is connected to the other end of the cell string. In some embodiments, although not depicted in drawings, the string selection line 120 may be connected to one end of the dummy gate structure 124 at one end of the cell string and the ground selection line 130 may be connected to the other end of the cell string. Some embodiments provide that impurity regions may be formed at both sides of the string selection line and the ground selection line.

As shown in FIG. 5, the dummy gate structure 124 may be electrically connected to the conductive layer patterns 116. Some embodiments provide that the upper conductive line 122 in the dummy gate structure 124 has a linear shape extending along the second direction. In some embodiments, the conductive layer patterns 116 have a linear shape extending along the first direction. Thus, some embodiments provide that upper surfaces of the conductive layer patterns 116 and a lower surface of the upper conductive line 122 make contact with each other at an intersection point between the upper conductive line 122 and the conductive layer patterns 116. As a result, the dummy gate structure 124 and the conductive layer patterns 116 may be electrically connected to each other.

In some embodiments, although not depicted in drawings, a common source line (CSL) may be connected to the impurity regions of the ground selection line in each of the cell strings.

Reference is now made to FIG. 6, which is a circuit diagram illustrating the cell array of the NAND flash memory device in FIG. 2 that shows a single cell block commonly owning the word lines. Some embodiments provide that the cell block includes m numbers of bit lines.

Hereinafter, methods of programming data in a selected cell in accordance with some embodiments of FIG. 6 is provided. In some embodiments, the data is programmed in the selected cell at an intersection of the bit line BL1 and the word line WL30 in FIG. 6.

Some embodiments provide that a programming voltage Vpgm is applied to the selection word line WL30 connected to a selected cell 200. In some embodiments, the programming voltage Vpgm may be lower than a programming voltage used for a NAND flash memory device without the conductive layer patterns between the floating gates. When the programming voltage Vpgm is low, an electric field between the selection word line WL30 and the floating gate of the selected cell 200 may be decreased. Accordingly, charges may not be trapped in the dielectric layer pattern between the selection word line WL30 and the floating gate so that loss of the charges may be suppressed. When the loss of the charges in the floating gate is suppressed, the NAND flash memory device may have improved operational characteristics and reliability.

In some embodiments, the programming voltage Vpgm may be substantially the same as the programming voltage used for the NAND flash memory device without the conductive layer pattern. In such embodiments, a programming speed may increase.

Some embodiments provide that a pass voltage Vpass is applied to the rest word lines WL0 to WL29 and WL31 except for the selection word line WL30. In such embodiments, the data may not be not programmed in the cells of the cell array by the pass voltage Vpass. In this regard, the pass voltage Vpass may be lower than the programming voltage Vpgm. In some embodiments, the pass voltage Vpass may be about 30% to about 70% of the programming voltage Vpgm. Some embodiments provide that, since the programming voltage Vpgm may be lower than the conventional programming voltage, the pass voltage Vpass may be lower than a conventional pass voltage.

Some embodiments provide that the pass voltage Vpass may be no less than a threshold voltage of each of cells regardless of the data in the cells. If the pass voltage Vpass is applied to the rest word lines WL0 to WL29 and WL31 except for the selection word line WL30, rest cells in the cell block except for the selected cell may be turned-on.

In some embodiments, the bit line BL1 connected to the selected cell 200 is grounded. In such embodiments, a high voltage difference may be generated between the selection word line WL30 and a channel region in the selected cell 200. Accordingly, the charges in the channel region may be tunneled by the voltage difference to program the data in the floating gate.

Some embodiments provide that a power voltage Vcc is applied to the bit lines BL0 and BL2 to BLm−1 including the word lines together with the cells of the selection string. If the power voltage Vcc is applied to the bit lines BL0 and BL2 to BLm−1 connected to adjacent strings, a high voltage substantially the same as the power voltage Vcc may be applied to channel regions of the cells in the adjacent strings. In this regard, since the high voltage may be applied to the channel regions of the cells in the adjacent string, a voltage difference for programming the data may not be generated between the selection word line WL30 and the channel region in a program inhibition cell 204 included in the word line WL30. Some embodiments provide that the pass voltage Vpass may be applied to other cells not including the word line WL30 and thus the programming operation may not be performed.

In some embodiments, a fringe voltage Vfringe is applied to the conductive layer pattern 116 to form a fringe field in the floating gate of the selected cell 200. Some embodiments provide that the fringe voltage may be applied between sidewalls of floating gates facing each other in a widthwise direction of channels of the cells.

In some embodiments, the fringe voltage Vfringe may be lower than the programming voltage. Some embodiments provide that the fringe voltage Vfringe may be about 30% to about 70% of the programming voltage Vpgm. Some embodiments provide that the fringe voltage Vfringe may be about 50% of the programming voltage Vpgm. In some embodiments, the fringe voltage Vfringe may be substantially the same as the pass voltage Vpass.

In some embodiments, the conductive layer patterns 116 and the gate electrode of the dummy transistor DM may be electrically connected to each other. Some embodiments provide that the fringe voltage Vfringe may be applied through the gate electrode of the dummy transistor DM. In some embodiments, since it the dummy transistor DM may be maintained in a turned-on state during the programming operation, the fringe voltage Vfringe may be higher than a threshold voltage of the dummy transistor DM. Some embodiments provide that the fringe voltage Vfringe may be substantially the same as the pass voltage Vpass.

As shown in FIGS. 2 to 5, the first gate electrode 120 of the dummy transistor may be connected to the entire conductive layer patterns 116 of the cell block through the upper conductive line 122. In this regard, some embodiments provide that the fringe voltage Vfringe may be applied to the entire floating gates of the cell block through the upper conductive line 122.

In some embodiments, the potential of the floating gate may be increased by the programming voltage and the fringe voltage. That is, the programming voltage and the fringe voltage may be controlled to provide the floating gate with the potential for performing the programming operation.

Some embodiments provide that when performing the programming operation, the power voltage Vcc may be applied to the string selection line SSL and the ground selection line GSL may be grounded. In some embodiments, the power voltage Vcc is applied to the common source line CSL. When the voltages are thus applied, the charges may be stored in the floating gate of the selected cell to program the selected cell. In some embodiments, the fringe voltage may be applied to a portion adjacent the floating gate of the selected cell so that the potential of the floating gate may be increased. In this manner, the programming voltage may be reduced as compared to a programming operation that is performed without application of the fringe voltage.

Referring back to FIG. 6, while programming the selected cell, it may be desirable to prevent other cells 204 (hereinafter, referred to as first program inhibition cells) including the word line WL30 and the selected cell 200 from being programmed. Regarding the first program inhibition cell 204 in a string of the bit line BLm−1, while the selected cell 200 is programmed, the pass voltage Vpass may be applied to the word lines of other cells that are serially connected to the first program inhibition cell 204.

In some embodiments, when the pass voltage Vpass is less than the threshold voltage of the cells, the cells may not be sufficiently turned-on and the power voltage Vcc may not be applied to the channel region through the bit line BLm−1. In this regard, some embodiments provide that the channel region of the first program inhibition cell 204 may not be sufficiently increased and thus the first program inhibition cell 204 may be partially programmed.

However, the fringe voltage Vfringe may be applied to a portion spaced apart from the floating gates of the cell block while programming, so that the threshold voltage for turning-on the word lines of the cells in the cell block may be reduced. In this regard, although the pass voltage Vpass may be less than a conventional pass voltage, the first program inhibition cell 204 may not be programmed while the selected cell is programmed. Accordingly, some embodiments provide that the pass voltage Vpass may be substantially less than a conventional pass voltage. In some embodiments, since the bit line BL1 connected to the second program inhibition cell 206 is grounded, the cells including the bit line and the selected cell 200 may be programmed as the pass voltage Vpass increases.

In some embodiments, the fringe voltage Vfringe may be applied to a portion spaced apart from the floating gates of the cell block during programming. In this regard, the programming operation may be accomplished at a relatively low voltage. Some embodiments provide that the pass voltage Vpass may be reduced to prevent the second program inhibition cell 206 from being programmed during the selected cell 200 programming.

Accordingly, some embodiments provide that the pass voltage may be greater than the threshold voltage for turning-on the cells and lower than the programming voltage. A voltage window, which defines an allowable pass voltage range, may be wider than a difference between the threshold voltage and the programming voltage. Some embodiments provide that as the voltage window increases, data errors caused by the pass voltage Vpass may be reduced. Accordingly, in some embodiments, although the pass voltage Vpass may exceed an allowable range set by a user, programming failures may be reduced and/or avoided.

Reference is now made to FIG. 7, which is a graph showing pass voltage ranges used while data is programmed in a selection cell of the cell array in FIG. 6. An X-axis represents the pass voltage and a Y-axis indicates threshold voltages of the first program inhibition cell and the second program inhibition cell.

A curved line 50 represents transition of the threshold voltage by the pass voltages in the first program inhibition cell while the selected cell is programmed using the method in accordance with some embodiments of the present invention. In contrast, a curved line 52 represents transition of the threshold voltage by the pass voltages in the first program inhibition cell while the selected cell is programmed using a convention method.

As illustrated, the curved line 50 is shifted along a left direction compared to the curved line 52. Further, when the threshold for maintaining the former data is −1V, an allowable pass voltage Vpass1 in accordance with methods described herein may be substantially less than an allowable pass voltage of conventional methods.

A curved line 60 represents a change in the threshold voltage resulting from the pass voltages in the second program inhibition cell while the selected cell is programmed using method accordance with some embodiments of the present invention. A curved line 62 represents a change in the threshold voltage resulting from the pass voltages in the second program inhibition cell while the selected cell is programmed using a conventional method

As is illustrated, the curved line 60 is shifted along a left direction compared to the curved line 62. Further, if the threshold for maintaining the former data is about −1V, an allowable pass voltage Vpass2 in accordance with some embodiments of the methods described herein may be substantially less than an allowable pass voltage of the conventional method.

In FIG. 7, Vpass window1 represents a pass voltage window while programming using some embodiments of methods described herein. Vpass window2 represents a pass voltage window while programming using a conventional method. Although the pass voltage level of the present method may be slightly lower than that of the conventional method, it can be noted that the pass voltage windows of the present method may be substantially the same as that of the conventional method. In this regard, disturbance of the programming operation may not be increased as a result of the low pass voltage level relative to that of the conventional method.

According to some embodiments of the present invention, programming efficiency of the non-volatile memory device may be increased so that the data may be programmed using a relatively low voltage. Further, the charges may not be trapped in the dielectric layer while performing a programming operation. Accordingly, the non-volatile memory device may have improved operational characteristics and reliability.

While the present invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to exemplary embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that various changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the following claims. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A method of reading data in a NAND flash memory device, the method comprising: grounding a word line connected to a selected cell of a plurality of cells in the NAND flash memory device; applying a pass voltage to other word lines that are connected to ones of the plurality of cells in a cell string that includes the selected cell; applying a reading voltage to a bit line that is connected to the selected cell; and applying a fringe voltage to a conductive layer pattern that is spaced apart from sidewalls of floating gates in the selected cell.
 2. The method of claim 1, wherein applying the fringe voltage comprises applying the fringe voltage to conductive layer patterns spaced apart from sidewalls of the floating gates facing each other along a widthwise direction of a channel in the cells of a cell block that includes the selected cell.
 3. The method of claim 1, wherein the fringe voltage is applied across sidewalls of the floating gates facing each other along a widthwise direction of a channel in the cells of a cell block that includes the selected cell.
 4. The method of claim 1, wherein applying the fringe voltage comprises applying a voltage lower than a programming voltage.
 5. The method of claim 4, wherein applying the fringe voltage comprises applying a voltage that is about 30% to about 70% of the programming voltage.
 6. The method of claim 4, wherein applying the fringe voltage comprises applying a voltage that is about 50% of the programming voltage.
 7. The method of claim 1, wherein applying the fringe voltage comprises applying a voltage that forms a fringe field in the floating gates. 